Jessie Barry, Jim Barry and I decided to head up to Towpath Road at Montezuma NWR yesterday in hopes that the rain would drop something interesting. There was considerable change from two days earlier (Friday) with many more Semipalmated and Stilt Sandpipers, but otherwise species were similar to Friday with BAIRD'S, WHITE-RUMPED and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE.
The highlight was a juvenile WESTERN SANDPIPER. Here are some notes from my eBird submission. Probably a female based on VERY long bill--not quite as long as Dunlin but on the long end for WESA. Shape very similar to SESA perhaps slightly larger bodied (breasted). Most obvious difference in structure from SESA was much longer bill with very fine tip and appeared to droop slighly. First noted by paler head and particularly bright and rufous edges to upper scapulars and some mantle feathers (mantle feathers not as obviously bright). This was in direct comparison to many SESA foraging in the same area. At least a couple scapulars appeared to have been replaced as well as a couple mantle feathers, each of which was grayish. The bird was fairly close (150m) in with the closest group of peeps. It fed at the interface of mud and water, never deeper than ca. 1 cm of water. The refuge staff have done an amazing and commendable job of managing the two impoundments north of Towpath Road for shorebirds this season. These are the best conditions that I have ever seen at the refuge. I know that I'll happily be supporting a team during the Muckrace to show that birders are willing to donate to improve habitat--particularly when refuge staff demonstrate their skill at managing the refuge as they have this year (despite a chronic lack of funding for National Wildlife Refuges). To all those at the Montezuma NWR and the Friends of the Montezuma NWR, well done. Thanks, Chris Wood eBird & Neotropical Birds Project Leader Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York http://ebird.org http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu Senior Leader, WINGS Birding Tours http://wingsbirds.com -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
